In electric or hybrid vehicles, various battery charging systems operate with comparatively high voltages and currents (for example, 400 Volt alternating current at 50 or 60 Hz) in order to keep the charging times as short as possible. These high voltages involve strict safety requirements with respect to the contact safety, breakdown strength, and the creep currents which occur. According to requirement IEC 62196-1, for example, the sizing of the creep paths is intended to be configured particularly in accordance with a pollution degree 4 according to IEC 60664-1.
The charging socket of a motor vehicle can come into contact with moisture, which in the case of winter use or coastal climates, may be salt water. Since contact with water spray and moisture cannot be avoided entirely, means must further be provided in order to discharge water which has entered the charging socket. It is known to fit drains which direct water via a corresponding drainage path out of the plug type connector region.
Such drainage openings in the contact chambers and inside the plug type collar further have the advantage that, when the plug type connection is assembled and released, an exchange of air can take place, so that the insertion forces remain as small as possible. Examples of such drainage arrangements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,257,101 B2 and EP 2525443 A1.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,252 A discloses a receiving member for metal contacts which is intended to prevent unintentional securing of the contact receiving member in a plug type connector by means of the provision of a two-step locking process. WO 2012/169144 A1 makes reference to a sealed plug type connector for contacting a motor-vehicle-side mating connector having a lock for fixing the plug type connector in the inserted state. However, in these known arrangements, the drainage openings of the contact chambers open in common drainage channels and are further formed by means of a cooperation of sealing elements and housing walls. The known arrangements are not suitable for complying with the requirements with respect to the long creep paths, such as the aforementioned pollution degree 4 of IEC 60664-1.